"Consumers are enjoying the display features of new flat-panel TVs, but they are less satisfied with the audio capabilities of these products. Manufacturers of DTV products that provide a better audio experience to their customers will enable their products to stand out from the crowd," said Keith Cheney, vice president and general manager, Embedded Products Division, Cirrus Logic. "Increasingly, manufacturers are turning to audio digital processor IC technologies like our DTV audio processors to quickly and easily improve their DTV audio to provide home-theater-like-audio quality right out of the box."

According to research firm DisplaySearch, flat-panel TV profits are falling along with retail prices, which they project will fall between 32 to 88 percent from Q1 of 2006 to Q4 of 2009. In addition, a recent Consumer Electronics Association customer survey in the United States suggests that consumers are increasingly demanding improved audio quality. In their survey, 83 percent said that both sound and video quality are "equally important" considerations in their next home entertainment purchase.

The CS48520 and CS48540 ICs give OEMs a cost-effective and simple-to-design solution capable of providing an extensive selection of audio features that allow OEMs to provide consumers with enhanced audio features and maximize the flat-panel television's overall audio system. The CS48520 provides four channels of in/out audio and is ideally designed for two or 2.1-channel stereo applications, whereas the CS48540 provides eight channels of in/out audio and is targeted for multichannel systems. Audio algorithms are supported within ROM, eliminating the need for external memory components. Cirrus Logic also provides a PC-based graphical programming tool that allows system designers to quickly and easily set the audio's performance specifications.

Among the consumer features that can be implemented using the CS48500 family:

* Enhanced listening modes. This feature allows OEMs to provide users with home theater like audio presets and effects, such as movie, news, sports, music, and night modes. For example, news mode adjusts the audio for improved voice clarity during dialog intensive programs, while night mode limits extremely high-volume audio passages and reduces bass output, such as during action sequences in movie soundtracks, to allow comfortable viewing while other members of a household are sleeping.

* Bass management. This feature allows OEMs to more effectively manage the audio provided to the TV main speakers, with potentially limited low-frequency capabilities, by routing the low-frequency audio to an external sub-woofer for faithful reproduction of the bass content.

* Speaker and cabinet tuning. This capability allows OEMs to optimize the audio performance of the DTV system by adjusting the many elements of audio response for the particular speaker and cabinet configuration present in the DTV system.

* Automatic room equalization. This feature calibrates the audio frequency response from the TV's speakers to improve the sound quality within the listening area, adjusting for room acoustics that can alter the overall sound quality (such as hardwood floors, mirrors, drapes, furniture, etc.)

* A/V Sync Delay. This feature allows the audio to be properly synchronized with the video, which is delayed as a result of the video processing which occurs in the DTV system. Up to 200 milliseconds per channel of audio delay can be provided.

The CS48500 family is a member of the Cirrus Logic high-performance audio processor product line, which includes Cirrus Logic's flagship audio processor for audio/video receiver applications, the CS49530.

Cirrus Logic Inc.

Cirrus Logic develops high-precision analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits for a broad range of consumer and industrial markets. Building on its diverse analog mixed-signal patent portfolio, Cirrus Logic delivers highly optimized products for consumer and commercial audio, automotive entertainment and industrial applications. The company operates from headquarters in Austin, Texas, with offices in Europe, Japan and Asia.

Cirrus Logic and Cirrus are trademarks of Cirrus Logic Inc. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.

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